August 10, 2016

Exemption No. 17062 Regulatory Docket No. FAA

- 2000

- 8222

Ms. Rebecca Barbaria Manager of Flight Standards Mesa Airlines, Inc.

410 North 44 th Street, Suite 700

Ph oenix, AZ 85008

Dear Ms. Barbaria :

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. It transmits our decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and limitations of the exemption, including the date it ends.

T he Basis for Our Decision

By letter dated June 29, 2016 , you petitioned the Federal Aviation Adm inistration (FAA) on behalf of Mesa Airlines, Inc. ( Mesa ) for an exemption from § 121.434(c)(1)(ii) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) to the ext ent necessary to allow Mesa to substitute a qualified and authorized check airman in place of an FAA inspector to observe a qualifying pilot in command (PIC) while that PIC is performing prescribed duties during at least one flight leg that includes a take off and landing when completing initial or upgrade train ing as specified in § 121.424. On July 31, 2016, your original exemption, Exemption No. 10831, expired.

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition

in the Federal Register because the requested exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to Mesa.

The FAA has issued a grant of exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to those prese nted in your petiti on. In Grant of Exemption No

. 10831 (copy enclosed), the FAA

AFS

- 16

- 12701

- E2

found that subject to certain conditions and limitations, the requirement for an FAA inspector to observe a qualifying PIC before he/she begins operations in an airplane unsup ervised may be conducted and satisfied by the certificate holder’s check airman or aircrew program designee. The FAA found that this could be accomplished without reducing the level of safety provided by the regulation.

Having reviewed your reasons for re questing an exemption, I find that

—

• they are similar in all material respects to relief previously requested in the e nclosed Grant of Exemption No

. 10831 ;

• the reasons stated by the FAA for granting the enclosed Grant of Exemption No

. 10831 also apply to th e situation you present; and

• a grant of exemption is in the public interest.

The FAA has added a limitation to clarify that the privileges of this exemption may only be exercised when the affected flight is an interstate operation that does not involve f light through international airspace or operates totally within the 48 contiguous states of the United States including the District of Columbia

Our Decision

Under the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. §§ 106(f), 40113 and 44701, which the FAA

Administrato r has delegated to me, Mesa Airlines, Inc. is granted an exemption that allows

Mesa to substitute a qualified and authorized check airman in place of an FAA inspector to

observe a qualifying PIC while that PIC is performing prescribed duties during at leas t one flight leg that includes a takeoff and landing when completing initial or upgrade training as specified in § 121.424 , subject to the following conditions and limitations.

Conditions and Limitations

1. A Mesa check airman or aircrew program designee ma y conduct a PIC observation in place of an FAA inspector when

—

a. The Administrator preapproves that substitution for each observation of a qualifying PIC candidate, thus reserving first right of refusal to the FAA in

each case. Mesa , therefore, must contac t an appropriate FAA office, in each instance, before substituting that check airman or aircrew program designee ;

b. The qualifying PIC candidate has completed no less than 10 hours of supervised operating experience (OE) and accomplished no fewer than two takeoffs and landings; and

c. The qualifying PIC candidate is performing PIC duties during a complete flight leg, including flightdeck preparation, before starting engines checklist, taxi, takeoff, all other flight phases, landing, taxi, and securing checkli st.3

2. Each Mesa check airman and aircrew program designee conducting a PIC observation in place of an FAA inspector must

—

a. Be approved by the Administrator to conduct the observation ;

b. Have served as a check airman or aircrew program designee for Mesa for n o less than 6 months; and

c. Not supervise the OE or conduct the initial line check for the qualifying PIC candidate being observed.

d. Conduct the observation from the observer seat only (i.e. not a required flightcrew member seat).

3. Mesa must maintain studen t, check airman, and aircrew program designee records that demonstrate compliance with the conditions and limitations of this exemption.

4. The privileges of this exemption may only be exercised when the affected flight is an

int erstate operation that doe s not involve flight through international airspace or operates totally within the 48 contiguous states of the United States including the

District of Columbia.

Thi s exemption terminates on September 30, 2019 , unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Since rely,

/s/ John Barbagallo Deputy Dire ctor, Flight Standards Service

Enclosure